At every recess hour the forces gathered for the exciting sport.

The rule was that when once the fort was captured, the besiegers were to become its possessors, and were, in turn, to defend it from its late occupants, who were now the attacking army, increased to the required number by certain of the less skilful fighters in the successful army.
Napoleon was in his element.

He was an impetuous leader; but he was skilful too; he never lost his head.
[Illustration: "_As leader of the storming-party he would direct the attack_"] Again and again, as leader of the storming-party, he would direct the attack; and at just the right moment, in the face of a shower of snow-balls, he would dash from his post of observation, head the assaulting army, and scaling the walls with the fire of victory in his eye and the shout of encouragement on his lips, would lead his soldiers over the ramparts, and with a last dash drive the defeated defenders out from the fortification.
The snow held for nearly ten days; the fight kept up as long as the snow walls, often repaired and strengthened, would hold together.
The thaw, that relentless enemy of all snow sports, came to the attack at last, and gradually dismantled the fortifications; snow for ammunition grew thin and poor, and gravel became more and more a part of the snow-ball manufacture.
Napoleon tried to prevent this, for he knew the danger from such missiles.

But often, in the heat of battle, his commands were disregarded.

One boy especially--the same Bouquet who had scaled his hedge and brought him into trouble--was careless or vindictive in this matter.
On the last day of the snow, Napoleon saw young Bouquet packing snow-balls with dirt and gravel, and commanded him to stop.